Card-index device.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

J. B. MAHONEY. CARD INDEX DEVICE. ABPLIUATION FILED JAN.24,1908.

WITNESSES: @6 9, W. 6, A

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

characters in a more JOHN B. MAHONEY, OF UTICA, NEW YORK.

CARD-INDEX DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 30, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. MAHONEY, of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Index Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to-make and use the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this s ecification.

The 0 ject of my invention is to provide an improved index card holding device for use with desk telephones more particularly, and which device is simple in construction and convenient and efficient in use.

Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a desk telephone with my improved card holding devicemounted thereon. Fig. 2 shows a section taken on line'2, 2 of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale, and with the cover plate and index cards in partially open osition. Fig. 3 is a similar sectiontaken on inc 3, 3 of Fig. 1, showing the device closed. Fig. 4 is'a plan view of the back plate and attached 'parts out of which the body of the device is constructed.- Fig. 5 is a plan viewof the movable plate or cover. Fig. 6 shows one of the index cards. Fig. 7 shows the hinge (pintle, and Fig. 8 shows a spring employe in the construction."

Referring to the reference numbers and articular description, 10 indicates the back p ate, which is provided on one side with an integral ear or projection 10* having a relatively large hole or opening adapted to receive the secured end of the telephone mouth iece 11.; These mouthpieces are ordinarl y screw-threaded on their attaching ends and .enga e in the front wall of the diaphragm chamber 12 of the telehone. By removin the mouthpiece the index device can be p aced, and by re lacin the mouthpiece with the screw-threat ed end passing through the opening in.the car 10,

the device may be readily secured to the telephone in a convenient position for use.

' Formed integral with the back plate 10 1s a bottom plate 14 made to assume a r1ght angular position with reference to the back plate by a bend. In addition there 18 formed integral with the bottom part 14 the card retaining guideways 15, wh1ch, as to a portion of their length, are curved as shown, and they may be connected to the back plate by being provided with ears 15 passing throu h openings 16 and clenched on the rear si e. A to flange 17 is provided on the part 10, whic being given a right angular position to the body, provides a protection for the upper edge of the index cards. Side retaining ears 18, 18 may be also provided.

The movable plate or cover 19 is rovided with a projection 19, having a cy indrical eye which receives the spring 20, the pintle 21 assing through the spring when located in t e eye, The part 14 is cut out, as indicated at 22, to receive the cylindrical eye of the part 19, and the pintle 21 is held to the underside of the part 14 by keepers 23 provided by slitting the material and deflecting tionary part 10, and the spring is tensioned to throw the movable plate or cover 19 into closed position. The card retaining slideways 15 are spaced somewhat apart and are adapted to receive the ear or tab 25 of the index cards 25 between them, and the tabs 25 are undercut at each side to engage and run on the inner edges of the slideways 15. A set of several cards 25 may be em )loyed in the holder, and these will preferably be cut away at diflerent oints and severally indexed, as shown in Fig. 1.

When attached to a telephone, as shown in Fig. 1, the device will be in a more or less upright position with the hinge and card retainin guideways at the bottom. It is evident t lat ready access may be had to any one of the several cards of the set by turning down more or less the cover or movable plate 19 and with it such number of cards as may be necessary to expose the desired card. The substantially straight portion of the guidewalys f t 1e tions of the ear or tab 25 from the edges of the retaining slideways'15. The slideways 15 being relatively wide on their face afford a substantial base for the edges of the cards to rest on, which is quite material in view of the fact that the cards would be ordinarily of paper stock and the guides 15, together with the bottom 4, provide quite a com lete housin for-the ears or tabs-25 and give the ar-' tigle an appearance which is not objectiona e.

The idea of securing the index device to the telephone by utilizing the'ordinary fastenings for the mouth iece is considered quite important, inthat t e size of the mouthpiece is substantially standard in all the various makes of telephones and enables the index device to be attached to'any telephone without modification or inconvenience. Further than this, the mouthpiece with its diaphra m chamber is ordinarily hinged to the stan and by mounting the index device, as shown, the angular adjustment of the mouthpiece also angularly adjusts the position of the index device. The cards will ordinarily be employed as an abbreviated list of telephone subscribers, the names and tele hone numbers being entered on the cards su stantially as shown in Fig. 6, although it is evident it is adapted for other uses.

' It is evident that modifications and changes in and from the construction described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the subject matter so long as they are within the scope of the claims.

see, 170

What I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The combination in a card index of a back plate having a pair of spaced card retaining guideways secured at one end to the back and extending therefrom first in a straight and then in a curved plane, a movable spring closing plate hinged to the back at a point concentric with the curved portion of the guideways, and cards having and interposed between the said p ates, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination in a card index of a back plate, the bottom rt arranged at right angles with the bad plate, a pair of spaced card retaining guideways secured at one end to the back and extending therefrom first in a strai ht and then in a curved plane to the outer e e of the bottom, a movable spring closing p ate hinged to the bottom at a point substantially concentric with the curved portion of the uideways, and cards having notched edges fitting upon said guideways and interposed between said v plates, substantiall as set forth.

3. A card index evice consisting of a back plate having an ear projecting substantially in the plane of the back plate and having an enlarged opening whereby it is adapted to be attached to a tele hone transmitter as set forth, a movable iate hinged at the lower end to the back ate, a spring operating to close the movab ie plate against the back plate, and a set of cards mounted on the back plate, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof, I have afiixed my sig nature, in presence of two witnesses, this 20th day of Jan. 1908.

JOHN B. MAHONEY.

Witnesses:

SARAH E. CLARK, GEO. E. RENDELL.

notched edges fitting upon said uideways 

